editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Joel Rose covers the northeast for the National Desk out of NPR's New York bureau.Rose's reporting often focuses on criminal justice, technology and culture. He's interviewed grieving parents after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut, resettled refugees in Buffalo, and a lineup of musicians that includes Solomon Burke, Tom Waits and Arcade Fire.Rose collaborated with NPR's Planet Money podcast for a story on smart guns. He was part of NPR's award-winning coverage of Pope Francis's visit to the US. He's also contributed to breakings news coverage of the mass shooting at Mother Bethel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath, and major protests after the deaths of Trayvon Martin in Florida and Eric Garner in New York.Before coming to NPR, Rose held a number of jobs in public radio. He spent a decade in Philadelphia, including six years as a reporter at member station WHYY. He was also a producer at KQED in San FranciscoNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Joel RoseWed, 16 Nov 2016 08:09:03 +0000Joel Rosehttp://wknofm.org
Joel RoseElection night was complicated for Azra Baig.She's a school board member in suburban South Brunswick, N.J. Baig was running for reelection this fall. She had just put out yard signs with her name on them when a friend from her mosque called."Someone wrote 'ISIS sympathizer' on the sign," Baig says.That caught Baig by surprise. She's the only Muslim on the school board. But there's a sizable Muslim population in South Brunswick and the surrounding towns. And this didn't just happen once or twice."The next day, we found another sign that was vandalized," Baig says. "So multiple times, basically the same signs were vandalized. Miss ISIS. Anti-American. Raghead."Baig told the police. But otherwise, she kept quiet until after the election. She didn't want to encourage copycats. And Baig says she didn't want to win reelection to her school board seat because of what she calls a 'sympathy vote.'"That's not me," says Baig. "I put in a lot of hard work over the years, and I wanted to get it onFollowing Hate Crimes And Trump's Election, Muslims Remain Resilienthttp://wknofm.org/post/following-hate-crimes-and-trumps-election-muslims-remain-resilient
83909 as http://wknofm.orgTue, 15 Nov 2016 22:46:00 +0000Following Hate Crimes And Trump's Election, Muslims Remain ResilientJoel RoseFor years, New Jersey drivers enjoyed relatively cheap gas — thanks to one of the lowest state gasoline taxes in the country. The state's gas tax hasn't gone up since 1988. But that all changed Tuesday, when it jumped by 23 cents a gallon.Across the state on Monday, drivers raced to fill up their tanks before a tax hike took effect."I already went to a couple of different stops, and they were out of regular gas," said Tobin Gringras, as he topped off his tank at a gas station in Hoboken, right across the river from New York City. "So obviously there's a lot of people that are filling up right now.""I'm speechless, cause I really relied on this," said Jazmine Rogers, who commutes from Ellenville, N.Y., about 90 miles each way. "It's gonna hit my pockets hard, unfortunately."James O'Connor of Hoboken was skeptical that New Jersey will spend its new windfall wisely. "I just hope it's used for what it's supposed to be used for," he said. "You know, it's supposed to be for roads and bridgesShock At The Pump: A Jump In N.J. Gas Tax Marks An End To Cheap Fuelhttp://wknofm.org/post/shock-pump-jump-nj-gas-tax-marks-end-cheap-fuel
83364 as http://wknofm.orgTue, 01 Nov 2016 21:02:00 +0000Shock At The Pump: A Jump In N.J. Gas Tax Marks An End To Cheap FuelJoel RoseFor most of his career, Wall Street has been good to Rep. Scott Garrett (R, N.J.). Garrett is chairman of a powerful subcommittee that regulates banks, a job that traditionally comes with perks, including big political contributions from financial firms. But that was before Garrett made some controversial remarks about gays.In a closed-door meeting with the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2015, Garrett reportedly said he would withhold his dues unless the party stopped supporting gay candidates. After those comments leaked to the press, Garrett found himself doing damage control."I have no problems with anyone running for office," Garrett told an interviewer from New Jersey public broadcaster NJTV earlier this year. "I support the Republican platform. Which I think you just mentioned is supporting of traditional marriage."Now Garrett's comments are creating problems for his reelection bid. In 2012 and 2014, financial firms donated an average of $600,000 per cycle toAnti-Gay Remarks Lost A Congressman Wall Street, And Maybe His House Seathttp://wknofm.org/post/anti-gay-remarks-lost-congressman-wall-street-and-maybe-his-house-seat
83253 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 29 Oct 2016 18:53:00 +0000Anti-Gay Remarks Lost A Congressman Wall Street, And Maybe His House SeatJoel RoseThe Clinton Foundation and the Trump Foundation have similar-sounding names. And they've both become political targets in this election cycle. Beyond that, charities experts say, they have remarkably little in common. But the differences between them might reveal something about Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump."I think they're two very different types of charities," said Larry Noble, a lawyer at the Campaign Legal Center in Washington, D.C. "One of them is very professionally run and does a lot of work. The other seems to be more loosely run. And seems to be more focused on Donald Trump."The most obvious difference between the two foundations is scale. The Bill, Hillary There's Really No Comparison Between The Trump And Clinton Foundationshttp://wknofm.org/post/theres-really-no-comparison-between-trump-and-clinton-foundations
82769 as http://wknofm.orgMon, 17 Oct 2016 09:03:00 +0000There's Really No Comparison Between The Trump And Clinton FoundationsJoel RoseHow do you lose more than $900 million?"I think a good part of it was mistakes," said Barbara Res, a former executive vice president at the Trump Organization who managed construction at Trump Tower.Res said the mistakes started in the 1980s, when Trump paid $365 million for the Eastern Air Lines Shuttle and $400 million for the Plaza Hotel."He overpaid for all that stuff," said Res. "Those were not wise decisions. Those were mistakes on his part."Those mistakes alone don't quite account for the $916 million Donald Trump reported losing on state tax returns in 1995, according to documents obtained by the New York Times. We don't know exactly where that figure comes from, because only a few pages were leaked. A loss that big could have allowed Trump to avoid paying federal income tax for years.At a rally in Colorado on Monday, Trump did not dispute the broad strokes of the story. But he blamed the recession of the early 1990s for his financial problems."I was able to use the tax laws ofHow Donald Trump Lost $916 Million http://wknofm.org/post/how-donald-trump-lost-916-million
82352 as http://wknofm.orgTue, 04 Oct 2016 22:29:00 +0000How Donald Trump Lost $916 Million Joel RoseThe office of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a "Notice of Violation" to the Donald J. Trump Foundation and ordered the foundation to cease and desist from soliciting contributions in New York.The notice states that the Trump Foundation failed to register with the Charities Bureau before soliciting contributions or engaging in fundraising activities.Schneiderman's office said in a press release it found that "the Trump Foundation 'is in violation of section 172 of Article 7-A New York's Executive Law, which requires charitable organizations that solicit contributions in New York State to register with the Charities Bureau and to provide annual financial reports and annual audited financial statements.' Despite failing to register pursuant to Article 7-A, the Trump Foundation solicited contributions in New York State earlier this year, in violation of New York law."The notice directs the Trump Foundation to 'immediately cease soliciting contributions or engagingNew York Attorney General: Trump Charitable Foundation Violated The Lawhttp://wknofm.org/post/new-york-attorney-general-trump-charitable-foundation-violated-law
82305 as http://wknofm.orgMon, 03 Oct 2016 18:13:00 +0000New York Attorney General: Trump Charitable Foundation Violated The LawJoel RoseFirst, a confession: I've never liked gefilte fish. The slimy, grey balls of fish from a jar have always struck me as icky.Turns out, I am not alone."I had the same experience as you. I never ate gefilte fish," says Liz Alpern. "It was disgusting to me. I literally think I never ate it, until I started making it."That's a remarkable statement coming from someone in the gefilte fish business. Alpern is half of the team behind the Gefilteria, which makes artisanal gefilte fish. Yes, that is a thing. Alpern gave me a demonstration at a catering kitchen in Brooklyn."So we've got some oil. We've got egg, onion, sugar, kosher salt, a little bit of white pepper," Alpern says. "We also have whitefish that I picked up from the Jewish fishmonger this morning." She blends it all together in a food processor, along with fresh dill and watercress.Gefilte fish is Yiddish for "stuffed fish." It's a staple of Jewish holiday tables around the world. To Ashkenazi Jews from eastern Europe, it was a'The Gefilte Manifesto': A Loved, And Loathed, Jewish Staple Gets Updatedhttp://wknofm.org/post/gefilte-manifesto-loved-and-loathed-jewish-staple-gets-updated
81633 as http://wknofm.orgTue, 13 Sep 2016 21:28:00 +0000'The Gefilte Manifesto': A Loved, And Loathed, Jewish Staple Gets UpdatedJoel RoseAfter Sept. 11, 2001, there was a spike in hate crimes against Muslim Americans. Now, on the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks, Muslim leaders say Islamophobia is cresting once again. A string of recent murders in New York City has left the city's Muslim residents on edge.In the last month, three Bangladeshi immigrants wearing traditional Muslim dress were killed on the streets of Queens. One of them was the imam at Al-Furqan Jame Masjid, a modest storefront mosque in a working-class neighborhood called Ozone Park."This neighborhood is still scared, everybody's scared," says Bazlur Rahman, one of a few dozen other men gathered for afternoon prayers at the mosque this week. "A lot of Muslim people don't come to the Masjid because they are scared."Imam Maulama Akonjee and an associate were walking home from this mosque on a Saturday afternoon when they were both shot from behind, execution-style, on a busy street.The suspect is facing murder charges, though prosecutors declined toIn Fight Against Islamophobia, Muslim Americans Focus On The Ballot Boxhttp://wknofm.org/post/fight-against-islamophobia-muslim-americans-focus-ballot-box
81528 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 10 Sep 2016 18:37:00 +0000In Fight Against Islamophobia, Muslim Americans Focus On The Ballot BoxJoel RoseCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Developers Recycle Suburban Office Parks For New Agehttp://wknofm.org/post/developers-recycle-suburban-office-parks-new-age
77999 as http://wknofm.orgTue, 14 Jun 2016 20:30:00 +0000Developers Recycle Suburban Office Parks For New AgeJoel RoseAt the White Rose Diner in Linden, N.J., owner Rich Belfer tosses a dozen round, thick slices of processed pork to sizzle on the grill. To Belfer, it's beyond dispute that those are slices of Taylor Ham."It's pork, it's spices, it's salt, it's water. It's common ingredients," Belfer says.But the flavor is more difficult to explain. "I don't know if anybody can really describe it," he says. "It has a little smoky flavor. It has a little spice. It has a little original Jersey flavor in it."Whatever you call this product, it's ubiquitous on diner menus from Cape May to the George Washington Bridge. The two main companies that make it — Taylor Provisions and Case's Pork Roll — are both based in Trenton.As much as New Jerseyans might love this homegrown product, they simply cannot agree about what to call it. In North Jersey, it's called Taylor Ham; in South Jersey, it's known as pork roll."People unfortunately get very nasty," says Kate Kelly, owner of the Jersey Pork Roll company, whichNew Jerseyans Chew Over What To Call Their Favorite Pork Producthttp://wknofm.org/post/new-jerseyans-chew-over-what-call-their-favorite-pork-product
77523 as http://wknofm.orgThu, 02 Jun 2016 09:28:00 +0000New Jerseyans Chew Over What To Call Their Favorite Pork ProductJoel RoseOne of the country's largest pizza chains faces a lawsuit over alleged wage theft.New York's attorney general accuses Domino's Pizza of systematically undercounting the hours worked by employees at its franchises.The case could deliver big changes in the fast-food industry and beyond.When you own a Domino's franchise there are some rules you just have to follow."Domino's does not only control how many pepperonis are on each pizza, or how fast pizza should be delivered; Domino's exercises [control] over all key aspects of employment relationships," says New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.He says Domino's parent company encourages its franchisees to use payroll software known as Pulse. "The Pulse system which Domino's required all franchises to use systematically undercalculates workers' wages," Schneiderman says. "This is widespread, systemic illegality, and it victimizes some of the most vulnerable workers in our state."In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Schneiderman alleges thatIn A Lawsuit, New York Accuses Domino's Pizza Of Wage Thefthttp://wknofm.org/post/lawsuit-new-york-accuses-dominos-pizza-wage-theft
77228 as http://wknofm.orgWed, 25 May 2016 09:47:00 +0000In A Lawsuit, New York Accuses Domino's Pizza Of Wage TheftJoel RoseSeventeen states have legal protections to prevent discrimination against transgender people in areas like housing and employment.One of those states is New Jersey, and when employers there want to know how state law applies to transgender people, many of them call Robyn Gigl. She's a partner at a top law firm; a board member of Garden State Equality, a nonprofit that works on LGBT issues, and is also a transgender woman. "I put a human face on something, and I consider myself the most normal person in the room," she says. It's been nearly 10 years since New Jersey expanded its anti-discrimination law to include gender identity, with little fanfare or opposition, Gigl says. That means it's illegal to fire people, or deny them an apartment, or any other public accommodation, just for being transgender."Once the law changed, the word got out there relatively quickly that people were protected based on their gender identity or expression. And as a result employers became very aware thatNew Jersey's Anti-Discrimination Law Is 'Just A Tool' To Protect Gender Identityhttp://wknofm.org/post/new-jerseys-anti-discrimination-law-just-tool-protect-gender-identity
76912 as http://wknofm.orgMon, 16 May 2016 22:50:00 +0000New Jersey's Anti-Discrimination Law Is 'Just A Tool' To Protect Gender IdentityJoel RoseCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.More Than 100 Arrested In Largest Gang Takedown In NYC Historyhttp://wknofm.org/post/more-100-arrested-largest-gang-takedown-nyc-history
76172 as http://wknofm.orgWed, 27 Apr 2016 20:38:00 +0000More Than 100 Arrested In Largest Gang Takedown In NYC HistoryJoel RoseYou probably know it's against the law in most states to text and drive — but studies suggest that many of us still peek at our smartphones when we're behind the wheel.This habit, however, contributes to distracted driving. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 3,179 people were killed in car crashes involving a distracted driver in 2014.New York is considering a law that would go beyond what any other state has done to allow police to examine drivers' phones after a crash to determine whether the driver was texting at the time of the incident.Will Law Enforcement Check Phone Records After A Crash?The man behind this idea is Ben Lieberman. His 19-year-old son, Evan, died after a car crash in the Hudson Valley, north of New York City, in 2011."The driver of the car my son was in drifted over the yellow line and collided head on with an oncoming car," Lieberman says. Evan Lieberman was in the back seat, wearing a seat belt. He suffered massive internal injuries and died aNew York Wants To Know: Have You Been Texting And Driving?http://wknofm.org/post/new-york-wants-know-have-you-been-texting-and-driving
76131 as http://wknofm.orgWed, 27 Apr 2016 09:14:00 +0000New York Wants To Know: Have You Been Texting And Driving?Joel RoseWhen you ride on buses or trains in many parts of the United States, what you say could be recorded. Get on a New Jersey Transit light rail train in Hoboken or Jersey City, for example, and you might notice an inconspicuous sign that says "video and audio systems in use."A lot of riders are not happy about it."Yeah I don't like that," says Michael Dolan of Bayonne, N.J. "I don't want conversations being picked up because it's too Orwellian for me. It reeks of Big Brother."New Jersey's public transit system is just the latest to add audio and video surveillance on some of its trains. Other agencies have been quietly recording their passengers for years, but critics say that's an invasion of privacy.Security Cameras Are Fine, But Audio Recordings Cross The Line"Private conversation should be private between you and the individual that you're speaking to," says NJ Transit rider Neeley Banks of Bayonne. But like a lot of commuters, Banks says she's OK with security cameras on the trains.Your Conversation On The Bus Or Train May Be Recordedhttp://wknofm.org/post/your-conversation-bus-or-train-may-be-recorded
75708 as http://wknofm.orgFri, 15 Apr 2016 21:13:00 +0000Your Conversation On The Bus Or Train May Be RecordedJoel RoseIt's been a big week for supporters of paid family leave.The city of San Francisco and the state of New York took groundbreaking steps toward new and more generous leave policies. Advocates hope the moves will create momentum in other places that are considering similar measures."I do believe this will pave the way for other states," says Dina Bakst, the co-founder of A Better Balance, a nonprofit in New York that advocates for family-friendly policies in the workplace."What we've seen in other fights, like paid sick days and our fights for pregnancy accommodations — it starts local and then it sweeps the nation," Bakst says. "I think we're on the paid family leave wave."Starting in a few years, workers in New York state will be able to take 12 weeks of partially paid family leave to care for a new child or an ailing parent. That gives New York the most generous family leave benefits of any state in the country."We are restoring respect and pride and dignity to the worker with paidPaid Family Leave Advocates Celebrate A Big Week, But The Battle's Not Overhttp://wknofm.org/post/paid-family-leave-advocates-celebrate-big-week-battles-not-over
75478 as http://wknofm.orgSun, 10 Apr 2016 13:42:00 +0000Paid Family Leave Advocates Celebrate A Big Week, But The Battle's Not OverJoel RoseIt's been a big week for supporters of paid family leave.The city of San Francisco and the state of New York took groundbreaking steps toward new and more generous leave policies. Advocates hope the moves will create momentum in other places that are considering similar measures."I do believe this will pave the way for other states," says Dina Bakst, the co-founder of A Better Balance, a nonprofit in New York that advocates for family-friendly policies in the workplace."What we've seen in other fights, like paid sick days and our fights for pregnancy accommodations — it starts local and then it sweeps the nation," Bakst says. "I think we're on the paid family leave wave."Starting in a few years, workers in New York state will be able to take 12 weeks of partially paid family leave to care for a new child or an ailing parent. That gives New York the most generous family leave benefits of any state in the country."We are restoring respect and pride and dignity to the worker with paidPaid Family Leave Advocates Celebrate A Big Week, But The Battle's Not Overhttp://wknofm.org/post/paid-family-leave-advocates-celebrate-big-week-battles-not-over-0
75479 as http://wknofm.orgSun, 10 Apr 2016 13:42:00 +0000Paid Family Leave Advocates Celebrate A Big Week, But The Battle's Not OverJoel RoseAtlantic City is wondering when its losing streak will finally end.The mayor says his town, known for its huge casinos on the boardwalk, will run out of money in a few weeks. State lawmakers have a plan to get the city's finances under control. Atlantic City leaders don't like the state's takeover plan. But residents are hoping for anything that will change their luck."A lot of people are walking away from their homes," says Al Bailey, a local real estate agent who was born and raised in Atlantic City."We have an old saying: We got sand in our shoes," says Bailey, meaning he has no plans to leave this faded beachside resort town. But he knows plenty of people who can't afford to stay."Just getting and leaving," Bailey says. "They just can't make ends meet."Last year, the Atlantic City area had the highest foreclosure rate in the country, according to RealtyTrac. That's partly because of lost casino jobs. And it's partly because of rising property taxes. That's been hard on people likeAtlantic City Faces Financial Collapse, Cringes At State Takeover http://wknofm.org/post/atlantic-city-faces-financial-collapse-cringes-state-takeover
74798 as http://wknofm.orgThu, 24 Mar 2016 14:00:00 +0000Atlantic City Faces Financial Collapse, Cringes At State Takeover Joel RoseSunny Balzano's modest watering-hole in Brooklyn was a throwback to another time. It was known simply as Sunny's, after the beloved bartender and raconteur who transformed a faded longshoremen's bar into a local institution. He died Thursday at the age of 81, just weeks after the publication of Sunny's Nights, a new book about his life and times.Sunny was not a master of artisanal cocktails, as he was quick to admit. "I still don't know how to mix drinks, do I?," he joked during an interview at the bar last month. No one disagreed.The main attraction at the bar was always Sunny himself. He was tall and lanky, his long hair turned silver. Sunny's easy laugh and endless stream of stories drew customers to a remote cobblestone street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The only signpost was three letters jutting out from the facade: B-A-R.Writer Tim Sultan first wandered into the bar in the winter of 1995. When he opened the door, he saw a dozen men looking directly at him."So I stepped in, and itLongtime Brooklyn Bartender Who Inspired 'Sunny's Nights' Has Diedhttp://wknofm.org/post/longtime-brooklyn-bartender-who-inspired-sunnys-nights-has-died
74278 as http://wknofm.orgFri, 11 Mar 2016 23:26:00 +0000Longtime Brooklyn Bartender Who Inspired 'Sunny's Nights' Has DiedJoel RoseStreetcars are rumbling back to life in cities across the country from Portland to Salt Lake City and Atlanta, with New York becoming the latest city to hop on the bandwagon. But as these new streetcars run into unexpected roadblocks, critics say this mode of transportation might not be the answer to great public transit.New York City has an ambitious, multibillion-dollar plan to connect Brooklyn and Queens with a streetcar. It would bring convenience to residents from Red Hook, an isolated area cut off from the rest of Brooklyn by water and a major highway."There's only really one way into Red Hook, and that's it," says Jackie Soto, who lives in one of several big public housing developments in the neighborhood. "We only have the buses that come in and out."Soto says it's a long walk to the nearest subway station and the buses are slow. Another resident, Nicholas Aviles, says he'd rather walk to his job than take the bus. He says he would love to see more public transit options toRevived Streetcars May Be On Track For Disappointmenthttp://wknofm.org/post/revived-streetcars-may-be-track-disappointment
73563 as http://wknofm.orgTue, 23 Feb 2016 22:51:00 +0000Revived Streetcars May Be On Track For Disappointment